Lexi clicked her pen, her page full of numbers, and stood. I was still standing in the door, so distracted by thoughts of her I hadn’t even gotten through half the room. She pressed her hand to my chest, trying to squeeze past me and out of the room, but I had other ideas.
I pinned her to the door frame, angling her face up to capture her soft lips with mine. The sweet taste of her exploded and overwhelmed my senses. Nine Hells, I had never wanted anyone as much as I wanted her. I had half a mind to bend her over one of our freshly cleaned surfaces and have my way with her, the image I’d seen in my office roaring to the forefront of my mind.
Fuck, Ineededher.
She returned the kiss vigorously, passionately, every bit as fiery as her appearance. The notepad fell to the floor as her fingers slid up into my hair, setting it free from the bun it had been in. Fingernails scraped lightly across my scalp and made my chest burn with Hellfire. The heat in the room increased exponentially, and I was fairly certain it wasn’t just me.
The hand not buried in her bright locks slipped around her waist, pressing her closer. I growled hungrily when she pulled my bottom lip between her teeth. Her tongue lashed out to soothe it and met mine. She moaned, equally as ravenous as I was for more, another touch, another taste.
Then her pants started singing an old AC/DC song.
Lexi flinched and shoved me back hard enough to crack the wooden frame. She looked up at me, her eyes wild.
“Shit, sorry!” She pulled her phone from her pocket, her brow drawing down into a frown when she saw the screen. “I’m sorry, I need to take this. Sophie wouldn’t call unless it was important.”
As she stepped away, I sighed heavily and leaned against the door, raising my gaze to the ceiling. So much for my new plan. If I believed in such things, I would blame it on divine intervention. Unlikely, since Father usually stayed out of everyone’s business, for the most part.
Thoughts of Him led to my brother, Michael. I hadn’t seen or heard from him since we’d called a truce between Heaven and Hell a couple of years ago. Even after Abaddon’s betrayal, and my subsequent escape, my pride had refused to ask Heaven for help to retake what was mine. Abaddon had been my second, another fallen like me, and it was my responsibility to punish him for his leading role in the coup against me.
He had violated my sanctum, ambushed me with the legions of fallen he’d won to his side, and chained me with the Hell-forged links I’d created. Abaddon had taken over, restarting the war on Heaven. If not for another fallen, an old friend named Belial, I would have remained chained in Hell until the end of days. He’d gotten me out of there and we’d parted ways before I went in search of a temporary base.
Since my escape, I’d learned the Middle-East, the old lands, had become a constant war zone and demon attacks were being covered up as bombings. Corrupt humans were being helped into powerful positions all over the world to kickoff another world war. Abaddon would soon come to regret what he’d done, and in due time, he would know what true death tasted like.
I didn’t suffer traitors lightly.
But if she’s truly not with him, Lexi can be a powerful ally.
She paced toward the front of the shop, phone pressed to her ear, her voice low. I planned to take the fight to Abaddon, but I didn’t have the information I needed yet. Once I found what I was looking for, I would contact the very short list of people I’d been friendly with over the millennia, people I thought would help if I asked, and her power would fit in among them. If she wasn’t there to kill me—and I would find out for sure, one way or another—then I would keep her close until then. She might yet prove to be an asset.
I rubbed my chest uncomfortably, the Hellfire a simple kiss had stoked in me receding. It was a reaction I'd never had before, possibly meaning it wasn't just this body that wanted her. And if Abaddon ever discovered her—
Grumbling under my breath, I pushed away from the storeroom door. I wasn’t some lowly human or a fucking traitorous demon. I was the rightful ruler of Hell. Why should I care what happened to her? So what if I had a weird reaction? Once I got her out of my system, that was it. I wasn’t about to get attached to a… whatever the hell she was.
Lexi tucked her phone in her pocket and walked back to where I stood. “Hey, I’m sorry. Sophie’s car broke down and she needs a ride home from the gym. Is it okay if I…?”
“No, go ahead,” I said, waving her off with a forced smile. “I can finish up by myself.”
“First time for everything, huh?” She winked and spun on her heel.
Did she just make a dirty joke at my expense? I growled and closed the space between us, spinning her into the wall. Her eyes widened, then our lips crashed together again and the heat in my chest roared back to life. I pressed my hard cock against her, letting her know in no uncertain terms I would not be finishingthatalone tonight.
When I pulled away, her cheeks were flushed and she pursed her lips, but amusement lined her eyes. I had to restrain myself from going back for more. Damn, this was harder than my deal to keep the Borgia family in power.
I tipped her chin up, bringing her focus to me. “Maybe one day, I’ll have you stay and finish for me.”
Her smirk was a challenge if I ever saw one, then she left through the back door. I stood there for several minutes, mind reeling at the development between us, then something odd registered. Her roommate needed a ride home from the gym. The Sophiee gym she frequently walked to because it was so close to their apartment.
I glanced up at the ceiling again.Divine intervention, or a co-conspirator?
Chapter[29]8
Lexi
Friday used to be the best day of the week. Not just because it preceded the weekend, but because of my favorite classes. It was just a shame the university didn’t offer Religious Studies as a graduate program like Harvard.
These days, though, my thoughts were on how I didn’t have enough time on my Fridays to take a shift at the bakery. I was inexplicably drawn to the place, and I didn’t know if it was the kitchen or the owner. As of last night, the answer was likely the owner. My no-dating resolve was wavering after that explosive kiss last night, but I wouldn’t get sucked in again.
I refused.
